Prof. Alfred Oteng-Yeboah (Department of Botany, University of Ghana) says without the right attitude towards national development, the desire to secure the environment would be a mirage.
According to him, it is our positive attitude to the natural bodies of our world, which constitute our environment, including water, soils, air and their composite elements, and which collectively sustain life, that must be secured.
He was speaking at a colourful ceremony held on Saturday at Somanya to officially admit pioneer students to the newly-built University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD).
The programme was under the theme; ‘Securing the Environment – Our Challenge.’
Prof. Alfred Oteng-Yeboah commended the government for establishing the university, and pleaded that it be provided with the basic infrastructure to enable it take off and respond to the needs of Ghanaians.
According to him, the name and focus of the university had been crafted to reflect global efforts, supported by national actions, to tackle head-on the three global issues confronting humanity. He mentioned these global issues as the effect of climate change, land degradation, and loss of biological diversity within the 2030 Global Agenda.
Prof. Alfred Oteng-Yeboah congratulated the pioneering council and other supporting staff for the hard work in preparing the university to commence academic work.
He again recognised the first-year students and congratulated them for their admission to the programmes being offered, and wished them well during their stay in the university.
The Deputy Director General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Dr. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, Guest of Honour, mentioned that a country, where the order of the day is one of blocked drains, flooding, open defecation, inappropriate disposal of waste and others, has a serious challenge. “On this note, the vision, mission, and mandate of UESD in the environmental developmental agenda of this nation cannot and should not be underestimated,” he said.
According to Dr Jinapor: “Every Ghanaian, no matter your stature or level of education, should have some basic knowledge in environmental sustainable development, pursuant to securing our environment.”
The Council Chairman of the university, Prof. J.N. Ayertey, on his part, commended the government for the immeasurable efforts to bring the institution to this level.
He, however, appealed for continual support, especially in the areas of infrastructure development and other logistics. He urged other stakeholders and benevolent societies to come on board for a successful growth of the institution.
The lecture hall block for the school has 13 halls with a total seating capacity of 1,545, a video conference room with a seating capacity of 40, and a computer research room with a seating capacity of 24. There are also offices for senior lecturers, a students’ common room, telecom rooms, washrooms, and stores.
The multi-purpose hall, comprising 252 seating capacity, control room, 100-seater dining room, cafe, kitchen, serving area, locker rooms, washrooms and stores, was ready for use at the time of the visit.
A laboratory building for the School of Agriculture and Agro-Entrepreneurship Development also has seven laboratory rooms, with a total seating capacity of 132, seven apparatus rooms, telecom rooms, washrooms and stores.
An 80-bed capacity students’ hostel, faculty offices and administration block have also been completed and ready for use.
A five-bedroom residential facility for the Vice-Chancellor fully furnished is available for use, while the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and key officers’ accommodation were also fully furnished for use.
There is also a water supply and waste management system in place to make good use of wastewater.
The post University of Environment & Sustainable Development officially starts academic work appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS